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President Donald Trump wanted Japan’s originality kei mini-cars to come to America. Toyota is now getting its wish by bringing its small trucks to the United States to ease inflationary pressures on farmers, ranchers and other small businesses.
The world’s largest automaker announced plans to manufacture the KEI-01, an ultra-compact pickup truck, in Indiana that small U.S. companies will be able to buy starting in the second half of next year.
Trump has long admired Japan’s boxy vehicles that are ubiquitous on its streets and are the workhorses of the average Japanese farmer and trader.
The US president even asked the Secretary of Transportation to allow the production and sale of such cars in the United States to give Americans access to more affordable vehicles – a major concern at a time of soaring gasoline prices.
“They’re really small, they’re really cute, and I said, ‘How would that be in this country?'” Trump said upon returning from Japan in late 2025.
Toyota did not say whether the mini-truck was launched in response to Trump’s call.
This decision is part of Toyota’s relaunch of its Scion brand. In its previous iteration that ended in 2016, Scion targeted millennial consumers who are less auto-obsessed than previous generations.
Kei cars use small engines no larger than 660cc – the same size as some mid-range motorcycles. They must be no more than 3.4 meters long and 1.48 meters wide to benefit from the tax breaks that have made them very affordable for Japanese drivers.
Meeting design and size requirements has proven too difficult for foreign automakers to compete in this segment, which accounts for more than a third of Japanese car sales – although China’s BYD is trying to break through with its Racco mini electric car.
Mini-cars have been deemed too fragile and dangerous by regulators for adoption in most other countries, posing a barrier to their global expansion.
The KEI-01 will comply with federal safety regulations for low-speed vehicles, meaning its top speed will be capped at 25 miles per hour.
Rising vehicle prices, linked to automakers pushing consumers around the world toward larger SUVs and trucks, mean more affordable Kei cars are now part of Japanese automakers’ globalization plans.
American pickup trucks such as the best-selling Ford F-150 cost about $68,000 on average, according to Kelley Blue Book. Smaller models, like the Ford Maverick, Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier, start at around $30,000.
Nissan chief executive Ivan Espinosa previously told the FT there was strong sales potential for Kei cars in Southeast Asia, Latin America and Europe.
He said the U.S. market would be difficult given the amount of time drivers spend on highways alongside much larger vehicles.
Despite this, Toyota admitted that the right-hand drive mini-truck would be “an intentionally low-volume, niche vehicle” offered through a pilot program focused on commercial customers.
In addition to farmers and ranchers, Toyota cited municipalities, universities, outdoor enthusiasts and urban delivery companies as potential customers.
He declined to give a price for the mini-truck or a sales volume target, but said he “may consider expanding availability to limited retail sales at a later date” if sales are strong.
In addition to the KEI-01, Toyota also revealed two concepts – the SxS off-road vehicle and the BKE – which it says represent different expressions of Scion’s “vision of future mobility.”
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